comstock a



(11,) 0 e F. M. GOMSTOGK & G. Q. ADAMS.

FENCE PIGKET.

Patented 00's.. 9 1883.

Nrrnn STATES PATENT FFICE. A

FRANCIS M. OOMSTOCK AND GEORGE ADAMS, OF KEOKUK, IOWA.

F ENCE- -PICKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,392, dated October9, 1883.

Applicaiicn filed May 24, 1883. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern:

Be itknown that we, FRANCIS M. COMSTOOK and GEORGE Q. ADAMs, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Keokuk, in the county of Lee and State ofIowa, have invented certain greatest amount of strength with a minimumamount of weight of metal, and which can be readily secured to thehorizontal wires of the fence, as more fully hereinafter specified. Thisobject we attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in

which- Figure 1 represents an elevation of our improved picket, showingthe means of attaching it to the horizontal wires of the fence; and Fig.

2 represents a similar view of a modification of our improved picket.

The letter A indicates our improved picket, which may be constructed ofrolled metal, or of rollehpressed, or dropped sheet metal. The picket istriangular, or approximately thereto. in cross-section, and when rolleddirect is so formed that the edges will be of sufficient thickness toimpart the proper strength, the sides being thinned toward the angle, soas to reduce weight and to save metal. The edges of the pickets arebeaded also, as indicated, to provide additional strength, and the saidvertical edges are indented at suitable et is formed with alongitudinalcorrugated portion indented at suitable points, for the purposes abovedescribed. YVhen thus con structed, the picket may be formed of sheetmetal, and shaped either by the process of ro1ling', dropping, orpressing, as may prove convenient.

When the picket is constructed of sheet metal, the edges are turned andwired, in the manner well known to workers in sheet metal, in order tostrengthen the article.

It will be seen that as thus constructed the pickets may be madesufficiently light to be utilized for the intended purposes, and at thesame time will possess the requisite strength, and are in condition tobe secured to the horizontal wires of the fence by the bi nding-wire,without additional manipulation, by any one accustomed to theconstruction of such fences.

The picket described and claimed in the present application, inconnection with other devices, forms the subject-matter of anotherapplication filed by us of even date herewith, No. 96,07 6, forimprovements in fences, in which was claimed, in combination with thepicket, certain devices for fastening the pickets together to form thefence, and we therefore in the present application disclaim suchfastening devices.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A metallic fence-picket having a longitudinal ridge and headed edges,and provided with recesses for the fence-wires at the edges, and withrecesses on the central ridge for the hinding-wire, substai'itially asand for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

runners M. coMsrocK. anon-en o. ADAMS.

W itnesses:

XVELLs M; IRWIN, J. E. J EwELL.

